2001 HIGHER SCHOOL CERTIFICATE EXAMINATION Drama Total marks 40 General Instructions Reading time 5 minutes Working time 1 1 2 hours Write using black or blue pen Section I Page 3 20 marks Attempt Question 1 Allow about 45 minutes for this section Section II Pages 4 8 20 marks Attempt ONE question from Questions 2 8 Allow about 45 minutes for this section 138
BLANK PAGE 2
Section I Australian Drama and Theatre (Core Study) 20 marks Attempt Question 1 Allow about 45 minutes for this section Answer the question in a writing booklet. Extra writing booklets are available. In your answer you will be assessed on how well you: demonstrate knowledge and understanding of drama and theatre relevant to the question express your point of view and use appropriate supporting evidence present a sustained, logical and well-structured answer to the question Question 1 (20 marks) How does the Australian drama you have studied use particular forms and conventions to explore significant experiences of living in this country? In your answer you should refer to AT LEAST TWO texts set for the topic you have studied. Topic 1: Bush and City in Australian Drama You must refer to Summer of the Seventeenth Doll as ONE of the TWO texts. Ray Lawler, Summer of the Seventeenth Doll Compulsory text and ONE of the following: Louis Esson, Mother and Son Katharine Susannah Prichard, Brumby Innes Betty Roland, The Touch of Silk Topic 2: Contemporary Australian Theatre Wesley Enoch and Deborah Mailman, The Seven Stages of Grieving Jack Davis, No Sugar Debra Oswald, Gary s House Suzanne Spunner, Running Up a Dress 3
Section II Studies in Drama and Theatre 20 marks Attempt ONE question from Questions 2 8 Allow about 45 minutes for this section Answer the question in a SEPARATE writing booklet. Extra writing booklets are available. In your answer you will be assessed on how well you: demonstrate knowledge and understanding of drama and theatre relevant to the question express your point of view and use appropriate supporting evidence present a sustained, logical and well-structured answer to the question Question 2 Theatre of the Absurd (20 marks) Most plays in the Theatre of the Absurd include elements of the violent, the illogical and the hopeless this is what makes them so funny. Discuss this statement, referring to the style and dramatic techniques of Waiting for Godot and TWO other texts set for study. Samuel Beckett, Waiting for Godot Compulsory text and TWO of the following: Arthur Adamov, Professor Taranne Edward Albee, Zoo Story Eugene Ionesco, The Bald Prima Donna Harold Pinter, The Dumb Waiter 4
Question 3 Medieval English Cycle Plays (20 marks) In the staging of a Cycle, the humour, joking and buffoonery were mingled with the serious, moral and religious. Discuss this statement. In your answer refer to AT LEAST THREE of the texts set for study. York, The Creation and the Fall of Lucifer Chester, Noah s Flood Towneley/Wakefield, The Second Shepherds Play Towneley/Wakefield, Herod the Great York, The Crucifixion York, The Judgement Question 4 Dario Fo (20 marks) Fo s use of comic performance styles distracts us from his serious political intent. Discuss this statement. In your answer refer to AT LEAST TWO of the texts set for study. Accidental Death of an Anarchist Can t Pay? Won t Pay! Mistero Buffo Trumpets and Raspberries 5
In your answer you will be assessed on how well you: demonstrate knowledge and understanding of drama and theatre relevant to the question express your point of view and use appropriate supporting evidence present a sustained, logical and well-structured answer to the question Question 5 Environmental, Street and Event Theatre (20 marks) How do the theatrical components of the performances represented in Figures 1, 2 and 3 relate to the artistic and social goals of the performance makers of the 1960s and 1970s whom you have studied? Figure 1. Witches, Macbeth in Katherine Gorge, Northern Territory, 1991 Waiting on permission from the copyright owner. Figure 2. The Gates of Renewal, Maleny Folk Festival, Queensland, 1993 Question 5 continues on page 7 6
Question 5 (continued) Waiting on permission from the copyright owner. Figure 3. Death Ship, Seagrass Event III the saving of the wetlands, Hastings, Victoria, 1990 End of Question 5 7
In your answer you will be assessed on how well you: demonstrate knowledge and understanding of drama and theatre relevant to the question express your point of view and use appropriate supporting evidence present a sustained, logical and well-structured answer to the question Question 6 Meyerhold (20 marks) Identify the most important theatrical innovations in Meyerhold s work and discuss their significance for today s theatre. Question 7 American Drama (20 marks) American drama examines moral dilemmas that are real but the dramatic styles used are not realistic. Discuss this statement with reference to TWO of the texts set for study. David Mamet, Speed-the-Plow Eugene O Neill, Desire Under the Elms Thornton Wilder, Our Town Tennessee Williams, A Streetcar Named Desire Question 8 Seventeenth Century Comedy (20 marks) Discuss the way in which the actor/audience relationship and performance conditions contribute to the effectiveness of the satire in seventeenth century comedy. In your answer refer to The Misanthrope and ONE other text set for study. Molière, The Misanthrope Compulsory text and ONE of the following: Aphra Behn, The Rover George Etherege, The Man of Mode William Wycherley, The Country Wife End of paper 8 Board of Studies NSW 2001